


Hostile 31

by SlayerWitchCarpenter



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Future graphic descriptions of violence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-15 00:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3431036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlayerWitchCarpenter/pseuds/SlayerWitchCarpenter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Initiative. One of the largest demon prisons in all of America. But Dr Maggie Walsh does not and will not just stop at demons. Anything that could harm the human race is a hostile. Including witches.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Evidence

“I have told you time and time again that Wicca group is only good for one thing. Cakes.” Dr Maggie Walsh said as she placed her freshman classes papers on her desk, walking away from the other person in the room.

“Ma’am, I’m telling you, there is a real witch there.” He said, moving to follow Maggie to her desk, carrying his own set of papers. “I overheard her on Tuesday.”

“We will never find a real witch. And with what happened last week, I am in no position to send out a taskforce on a whim.” Maggie closed her binder before shrugging on her coat.

“Give me a chance to prove it. Please. You always said you wanted a witch, I can prove she is one.”

“…You have 2 days. I want physical evidence. No evidence, no taskforce.” Maggie said, pausing in the doorway to her lecture room.

“2 days, I can do that Ma’am.” He saluted, lifting his bag onto his shoulder.

“Which student did you say it was again?” Maggie asked, looking back over her shoulder.

“Rosenberg.”

“A good student. Should have figured. Like I said, 2 days. You better not disappoint me Riley.” Maggie spoke quietly, leaving her classroom and Riley behind.

* * *

“So then, Buffy pushed all of her weight forward, the stake snapped, and she impaled it right through the neck!” Willow exclaimed excitedly, leaning slightly towards the other girl, who was sat close to her at the lunch table.

“Y-your mom tried to b-burn you at the s-stake?” Tara asked, frowning.

“Oh yeah. Proper old fashioned witch-hunt-book-burning stuff. Oh! I know how it sounds, but my mom’s not around much. Okay, that didn’t come out as I meant it to. It’s just that, in a weird way, she cared.” Willow frowned at her own babble and worried she might scare the shy Wiccan in front of her. “Did I tell you about the time I met my own vampire self?”

“Is t-this the neck licking n-narsasstic m-mistress of p-pain v-vampire?” Tara asked, hiding her laugh behind a juice box.

“Yep, that’s the one! Skanky leather wearing-“

“Talking about Faith?” Buffy interrupted, causing the duo to split slightly apart in their seats.

“Nope. Vampire me.” Willow informed the newcomer as she sat down opposite them.

“Ah, Miss. Evil, Skanky and Gay.” Buffy laughed, picking up her sandwich.

“G-gay?” Tara asked, looking between Buffy and Willow. That was definitely a part of that story Willow did not mention.

“Yeah, what Will called her. Though I’m still confused. Is coming on to your alternate universe self gay or narsassistic?” Buffy asked, before taking a large bite out of her sandwich.

“Buffy, she licked my neck and wanted to snuggle.” Willow frowned at her friend, and then at Tara, who giggled at the seriousness of the redheads words. “She did!” Tara continued to laugh and Buffy put her half eaten sandwich down, looking at the other blonde.

“Have we met before? Because I remember you introducing yourself to me, but not where or when or who.”

“T-Tara. Maclay. We met at the h-hospital last week. W-Willow sprained her ankle…” Tara reminded the other blonde, glancing at Willow, who was no longer red cheeked.

“Ah, yes! Sorry for not remembering, one track mind, me. Willow hurt. Everything else whooshes by.” Buffy smiled, glad Willow was making friends. “Glad to see Willow’s making friends. Finally.”

“Buff!” Willow reached over and slapped her friends arm lightly. “I can make friends.”

“Please, the only people you’ve met are the Wanna-Blessed-Be’s at that Wicca group who you said were all stupid and useless unless you want a cake made.” Buffy laughed, ignoring all of Willow’s ‘Stop’ motions.

“Oh…” Tara looked at her empty plate on the table.

“What?” Buffy asked, quitting an eyebrow.

“This is Tara, we met at Wicca group.” Willow sighed, putting her hand on Tara’s thigh under the table to comfort her, causing the blonde to look up at her.

“Oh. _Oh_. My foot likes to live in my mouth- Oh hey, said that to SkankVamp- so please ignore the things that escape around the foot.” Buffy apologetically smiled. “If you’ll forgive me, you can have my juice box.”

“I-It’s okay. Keep the j-juice. I forgive you.” Tara smiled, her attention still mainly focused on Willow’s hand, which remained on her thigh.

“Ah, good, because I’m really thirsty and need it.” Buffy said, jabbing the straw into the box and drinking it.

“So…” Willow started, leading the conversation. “Since Buffy has some stuff to clear up with Riley…” She pushed on, ignoring Buffy trying to stop her, she turned to Tara. “Do you think I could come round and we could do some spells?”

“Y-Yes. I’d l-love that.” Tara smiled, and both turned their attention to the choking blonde.

“I don’t want to talk to Riley.” Buffy huffed once she stopped choking, crossing her arms and pouting.

“To bad. You’ll have the dorm to yourself until 11. Don’t sit on my bed.” Willow got up and picked up her tray, cutting off Buffy as she opened her mouth to talk. “And don’t touch my spell stuff, I have a page bookmarked and you’ll only lose my page if you touch it. I have a class, gotta go.” Willow rushed off, leaving the two blondes alone at the table.

“So…” Buffy started after some silence. “Willow tell you about the time she dated an internet demon?”

* * *

“Buffy.”

“Riley.”

The two stood at a standstill either side of the doorway, Buffy inside the dorm room, Riley in the hall.

“Can I come in?” Riley asked, brushing a hand through his hair.

“Yes. Have a seat. Just not on Willow’s bed.” Buffy moved back, allowing the solider to enter. Riley walked in to the dorm room, sitting himself down on Buffy’s bed. He was about to open his mouth when he saw the book and the crystals on the end of Willow’s bed. From where he was sat, he could just about make out the title. _The Black Arts Codex: Volume III_

“Riley? Are you even listening?” Buffy asked, arms crossed as she sat down next to him.

“Of course.” Riley lied. If he could just show this to Dr Walsh.

“So you agree? No more secrets. And I want to know everything there is about this army stuff you have going on.” Buffy stared him down with her own version of the resolve face.

“Yes. I’ll tell you everything.” Another lie, another secret. How do you tell your girlfriend you’re about to hand in her evil roommate. Did Buffy not know she was evil? She’s not the brightest but she’s not that dim. The words ‘Black Arts’ were literally written right in front of her.

“Good.” Buffy stood, moving over to her chair, pulling her coat off the back of it. Riley took his chance and grabbed the small camera he bought with him out of his pocket, and snapped a picture of Willow’s bed, the book and magical items clearly in frame. He shoved it back in his pocket as Buffy turned around, coat on.

“I need to patrol, you want to come with?” She asked, pushing a stake into her belt.

“I can’t. Need to do some laundry tonight. See you in class tomorrow, Buffy.” Riley moved to the door, nodding at Buffy and opening the door.

“Alright. After you.”

* * *

“The evidence is right there Ma’am.” Riley smiled, watching Maggie’s face as she looked at the photo.

“Less than a day. Good job Finn. Alright.” Maggie turned around in her chair, away from the screen. “Room 214, Stevenson. Redheaded witch. Only use force if necessary. I want it unharmed. Unconscious, but unharmed. Follow Agent Finn.”

Maggie ordered the 5 strong taskforce out, and turned back to Riley.

“Serve like this will get you a promotion one day.”

“What will you do with Rosenberg, Ma’am?” Riley asked, picking up his Taser gun, getting ready to lead the taskforce.

“Hostile 31 will be contained and tested, Finn, same as always. No go, get me that witch.”


	2. Detained

Willow pushed the door to her dorm room open, carefully trying not to drop the books she borrowed from Tara. She was enjoying hanging out with the blonde witch. And Buffy was right, it is good she’s making friends after Oz. Okay, so maybe she shouldn’t think about that. But Tara was nice, and friendly and cute and—

“Cute? Where did that come from?” Willow asked the empty room, dropping the books gently onto her desk, clicking the desk lamp on as she moved away. Willow shook her head, filing that thought away for another time.

“Buff, tell me you didn’t go out patrolling…” Willow sighed as she moved over to her friend and roommates desk. Sure enough, next to the TV, was that little scrap of paper that read ‘ _Gone on patrol. Back later. Please leave bottle of water on my desk. Thanks. Buffy x’_ “Hope you at least spoke with Riley.”

Willow reached down and took the bottle of water out of the mini fridge and put it on Buffy’s desk, before moving back to hers, grabbing a notepad and pen from her shelf. She scribbled down on the page ‘ _Buff, I’ll be gone by the time you get back from patrolling. Staying at Tara’s tonight and will be with Tara tomorrow as I have no classes. I’m showing her around Sunnydale. Have fun in class. Willow x’_ Willow signed, a small smile appearing on her face at the prospect of spending the day with Tara.

“Whoa there Will, already filed that thought away for another time.” Willow reminded herself, placing the pen down and moving over to Buffy’s bed, placing the note on the Slayer’s pillow, to ensure she actually gets the note, unlike last time.

“Which I will not think about.” Willow picked up a crystal from the bed and looked at it closely, examining it. She almost dropped it when there was a knock at the door, which she quickly bounded over to answer.

“Buffy, you have to remember to take your keys wi—Oh, Riley. Hi. Buffy’s not here.” Willow smiled, moving back to invite him in. “I guess you talked. Are you going to join her patrolling?”

“No.” Riley answered, eyes trained on Willow.

“Uhm…” Willow raised an eyebrow at Riley’s odd behaviour. “Then why are you wearing the combats? Have you found a demon on campus?” Willow asked, almost excitedly. Though that excitement died right down when the 5 members of the taskforce stepped into her dorm behind Riley, Taser guns drawn.

“Something like that.” Riley replied, and one of the men fired, and Willow’s world went black

* * *

Buffy stumbled back into the dorm room, dropping the duffle bag of weapons just inside the door, swinging it closed behind her. In her post-slayage haze, she stumbled over to her desk, grabbing the water bottle Willow had left on her desk and drinking half of it in one go. Willow was a great roommate, she didn’t have to hide her slaying activities from her, she could just come and go as she pleased, and she always left the bottle of water on her desk so it wasn’t too cold to drink like it would be if it was right out of the fridge. Quickly, Buffy took off her shoes and left them by her desk.

Buffy tiptoed over to her bed, careful not to wake Willow up. It was already 1am, so Buffy figured she could just sleep in her clothes and have a shower before her 11am class, no-one would know. Buffy laid down on her bed, dropping her head onto her pillow. The paper crunched under her head and she sat upright again, grabbing the note from on top of her pillow. She strained to read it in the dark, but with a glance over to Willow’s bed, she confirmed she’d read the letter correctly.

“Leave me all alone why don’t you.” Buffy mock huffed, dropping the paper onto her desk and laying her head down properly, pulling the duvet up and over herself. She figured even without her human alarm clock, she could totally still make it to the showers and her lesson on time.

* * *

Tara nursed her coffee at the campus coffee house, silently staring into the cup. The last time she had been this silent, it hadn’t been voluntary. But at least then, she was with the redhead. Now, she was sat alone, and the barista kept glancing up at her with the silent sympathetic oh-sweetie-they’re-not-coming look on his face.

She believed him too. It was 12pm now, and Willow was meant to meet her 12 hours ago. She went to pick up a book from her dorm, and to come back and stay over, so they could go round Sunnydale together, and Willow bragged she was the best tour guide, and she had agreed to test that theory, and got Willow to agree to give her the grand tour.

Yes, she was worried, but the way Willow talked made her think the witch could handle what was thrown at them. She had helped stop 3 or 4 apocalypses –apocalypi?— by now. If her own self esteem wasn’t so low and her anxiety wasn’t so high, she might have gone round to Willow’s dorm room. But what if Willow didn’t want to see her, and that’s why she didn’t come back. Or if her blonde friend answered the door and tried to talk to her more about the men Willow had dated. She didn’t know which was worse, so she picked none.

Tara sighed again, adding another sugar to her coffee, when the aforementioned blonde came bounding into the coffee shop, stopping short when she saw Tara.

“Yo, Tara!” Buffy made her way over, sliding into the stool opposite her friend’s friend.

“Hi B-Buffy.” Tara stirred her drink as the girl opposite her dropped her bag onto the floor next to her sat.

“Willow in the restroom?” Buffy asked, glancing over to the restroom door quickly, before returning her attention to Tara.

“What?” Tara asked, dropping the coffee stirrer into her drink.

“Whoa there.” Buffy smiled, looking at the coffee, not noticing the utter lack of stuttering in the other girl’s voice, as well as the undertone of fear. “Dropped your stirry stick think.”

“What do you mean?” Tara asked, voice small, worried.

“Huh? The Willow thing? Said you two were hitting the town today, figured you’d be, you know, in town. Not here.”

“W-Willow didn’t come b-back. I thought s-she might have s-stayed at her dorm.” Tara looked into the other blonde’s eyes, watching as a look of fear similar to her own crept into her eyes.

“What.”

* * *

Willow coughed painfully, pushing herself off the cool floor she was laying on. The white sterile floors and walls shone brightly with the artificial lamps running across the ceiling. There was a loud ringing in her ears, and she sat up quickly, staring into the glass wall in front of her. Her reflection was still there, so she deduced she wasn’t a vampire, despite how cold she felt inside and out. Her reflection also showed her wearing what looked like doctors scrubs, only white. And she was deathly pale.

She pushed up further, aiming to stand up, when the world came crashing down around her, the back of her head stinging with pain. Slowly, she moved a hand around to the back of her head, feeling the gentle ridges of a scar on her skull, something akin to a surgery scar.

Bringing her hand back round to her side, she glanced down at her fingers to make sure there was no blood on her fingers, however, what caught her attention was not blood, but the tattooed number on her wrist. ‘ _#31_ ’

“What the heck?”


	3. Behavioural Modification

“And the behavioural chip was successfully implanted?” Maggie asked, walking over to another computer bay, 2 scientists following her every step.

“Oh, yes, Ma’am. No worries about that. The chip’s in.” The first scientist answered, a small bead of sweat dripping down from his short blonde hair. The other scientist stood next to him, holding all the charts and papers, and she was equally nervous.

“Good. Hostile 37 will no longer be a problem with then.” Maggie entered some data into her personal computer, which sat resting on the computer bay. “Now, back to Hostile 31.”

“That’s the witch, yes?” The female scientist asked, juggling the charts in her hand until she had the file she wanted. “Here we go, Ma’am.” She handed the file over to Maggie, who took it with a snatch.

“This is all the information you could get on it?” Maggie looked up, disappointed, causing a few more beads of sweat to form on the scientists heads.

“W-Well, she won’t talk. We had to find all this out using databases, and her files are encrypted by some outside force. We couldn’t get in.” The man replied, shaking. Dr. Walsh was always pretty threatening, even when she was being nice, she had that kind of air about her.

“Well decrypt it then!” Maggie shouted at the two. “You have three hours. No decryption, and I send in the team. They will get information from that witch. Tell me some good news at least.”

“The behavioural chip has been implanted. She can’t fight back.” The female answered in a rush.

“Good. Now break that encryption or I break its knees.”

* * *

The door to Buffy and Willow’s room flew open, smashing against Buffy’s desk as she and Tara walked into the room.

“Here’s the note.” Buffy told the other blonde, stalking over to her bed and retrieving the note from her bedside table, thrusting her hand out to Tara, who carefully took the note. As she read it carefully, Buffy checked Willow’s bed for clues.

“There are no signs of a struggle, her witchy stuff’s on her bed, no books were stolen, it looks like she just _left_.” Buffy sighed, sitting down on her friend’s bed.

“S-She wouldn’t do t-that, r-right?” Tara asked, sitting down opposite Buffy, dropping the letter into her lap. So she had known the redhead a week, it didn’t mean she was not going to be frightened for her life. She knew about the horrors out there in Sunnydale, things that you shouldn’t mess with, even Willow, who she had to admit had a lot of power, but even she shouldn’t try to fight them all, not without the Slayer, and not without telling someone where she was going.

The café was close to Tara’s dorm, so the pair had travelled the exact route Willow takes from dorm to dorm, and there was nothing to suggest there had been any kind of fight, so they had made their way back to Buffy and Willow’s dorm.

“No, Wills isn’t the running away type.” Buffy answered, head in her hands. They had found nothing but the cheery note that proved that _something_ had happened. Tara regarded the other blonde with a sympathetic look. Willow had told her how the Slayer took everything as a personal failure, even if it wasn’t her fault. ‘I should have been there’ or ‘If I hadn’t have…’. Tara looked over by Willow’s desk, and noticed something on the floor.

“H-hey.” Tara stood up, and Buffy followed her movements with her eyes, staying on Willow’s bed.

“What is it?” Buffy asked as Tara bent down to pick something off the floor. She frowned when the other girl opened her hand and showed Buffy 2 crystals. “Crystals?”

“N-no. This is one. B-broken.” Tara studied the crystal in her hand before looking up at Buffy’s face, painted with dawning realisation.

“Like it was dropped?” She asked, picking up one half.

“Probably.” Tara agreed, fear flooding her senses even more. “C-can you check security?”

“Willow does the hacking thing. Come on, I’ll take you to Giles’. He’s my Watcher. I’ll explain on the way.” Buffy said, rushing out of the room and dragging the blonde behind her.

* * *

“Get up.” Maggie’s voice reverberated around the room as she spoke, standing over figure on the floor, who was flanked by two soldiers. “I said, get up.”

“Fuck you.” Willow spat out, glaring at her psychology teacher. When she’d been kicked out of sleep and onto the floor, she hadn’t known who to expect to be standing over her. Maybe Riley, maybe some nameless scientists, anyone. But she didn’t expects it to be her teacher, Maggie Walsh.

“I said get up, Hostile!” Maggie nodded to the soldiers and they reached down, grabbing an arm each and lifting Willow off the ground, so her feet were barely touching the ground. Willow ground her teeth together from the pain in the back of her head as it flared up again, and she balled up her fist and hit the soldier to her right in the lower stomach. He let go in pain and grabbed his stomach, and Willow howled in pain, using her now free right hand to grab at the side of her head as her legs crumbled under her from the pain. The one soldier to the left was left to hold her entire weight, but at Maggie’s signal, he dropped her arm and Willow crashed to the floor, the pain subsiding.

“Behavioural Modification Chip. You can’t hurt a human being ever again.”  Maggie spat dryly as Willow recovered from the pain.

“I’ve never hurt a human before! I’m human!” Willow cried back, letting the soldiers rip her off her knees and into another painful standing position.

“You’re not human. You’re a hostile. A monster. And we’re the Initiative. And we’re here to wipe you out. After testing, of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for continuing to read this far!  
> Feedback is always greatly loved.  
> SWC


	4. Milgram

“Riley.” Willow spat with disdain at the man in combats at her cell door, who was holding a tray of what Willow hoped was food, even if it didn’t look the part.

“Willow.” Riley nodded, stepping into the cell and motioning for the guard with him to close the door, so it was just the 2 of them in the cell. “I bought you some—”

“What the fuck, Riley?!” Willow stood up quickly, glaring. The man didn’t even flinch. She knew why. She’d do the same with Spike. He was chipped, he couldn’t hurt a human. And after the pain she went through earlier, she felt how he must have felt. They joked about it in her dorm, but now? Not so funny anymore.

“Sit down, Hostile.” Riley commanded, and Willow laughed.

“Sit down? You knock me out, bring me here, _operate_ on me, lock me up, and you want me to _sit_?” Willow glared, crossing her arms. “My friends are coming, Riley. Buffy’s coming. And it’s your ass on the line.”

“Here’s your food. Eat. You’ll need your energy.” Riley put the tray down on her cot, giving her one last look before turning and leaving. Willow looked down at the tray and back at the door, then back to the tray.

_That doesn’t even look edible. God, Buff, where are you? How long have I been down here? Do they even know? No, they must. I didn’t go back to Tara’s and—Oh god, Tara._

With great hesitance, Willow took a bite of the ‘food’.

* * *

“Giles!” Buffy pounded her fist practically into the door of Giles’ house, yelling into the house. “Giles! Wake up!” Buffy didn’t relent until the door was yanked open, and a very tired looking Giles glared at Buffy.

“Buffy! That is no way to—Oh, hello.” Giles straightened when he saw Buffy was not alone.

“H-Hello.” Tara ducked her head, and Buffy took control back over the conversation.

“Giles, Willow’s missing.” Buffy pushed past the former librarian, pulling Tara with her until they were both stood in the middle of the room.

“I’m sorry?” Giles asked, closing the door and joining them.

“Willow. Missing. Up to 13 hours now.” Buffy huffed and sat on the back of the sofa, crossing her arms. “And we have nothing!”

“Good lord.” Giles leant against the wall behind him and took off his glasses, cleaning the lenses. “13 hours you say?”

“Yeah. She was meant to meet Tara. Never got there. Giles, we have to find her.” Buffy stressed, and the Watcher gently led the two of them to his sofa.

“We will, Buffy. Do you have any leads at all?” Giles asked, sitting down opposite them, glancing between the two. “I assume you are Tara?”

“Y-Yes, Mr Giles.” Tara stuttered in reply, glancing over to Buffy.

“Rupert or Giles is fine, dear. Buffy? Anything?”

“I tried to make a list of people who want to hurt here on the way here, but none of them really make sense.” Buffy huffed again.

“Well, who did you have in mind?” Giles asked, shifting in his seat, trying to come up with any of his own.

“Well, Oz, maybe. But it’s not a full moon. MOO, but they disbanded after the witch burning. Faith, she’s still in a coma. Moloch, who I hope is still in the book. Spike, he can’t hurt anyone after what the Initiative did to him.” Buffy frowned in thought. “Wait. The Initiative. Could it be them?”

“T-The army guys?” Tara piped up, eyebrow raised.

“They go after demons and supernatural evils.”

“Willow’s not evil.” Tara stated. _You’ve known her a week, you don’t actually_ know _that, Tara._

“The Initiative don’t know the difference between good and evil.” Buffy stood up quickly, turning sharply to Giles. “Call Xander, get everyone over here. Tell him it’s an emergency. I’m going to call Riley. It’s time to do some of our own interrogating.”

* * *

Willow woke to find herself in somewhere that was definitely not her cell. Mostly because she was in chair, tied to it in fact, and that there were various bottles on the table opposite her, ranging from small shot glass size containers, to industrial water cooler size containers.

“The Hostile’s awake, Ma’am.” Came a voice from behind her. One of the soldiers. No doubt he was talking to Walsh.

“Good. Is it on?” Maggie asked, and Willow suddenly felt a lot less safe than she had ever before. Even being sucked into the floor in school had nothing on this room. Just the feel of it. Death. And something electric.

“Of course, Ma’am.” The same voice as before. Finally someone entered Willow’s view, and Maggie knelt down in from of the student.

“Hostile 31.” She stated, forcing Willow to look into cold, dead eyes

“My name is Willow.” Willow glared, and the electric feeling in the room seemed to intensify briefly.

“Hostile 31.” Maggie repeated. “We know what you are, witch. The best you can do for yourself now is to help us and co-operate.” Maggie stood up and waved towards the water containers. “What’s the heaviest one you can tip?”

“None of them.” Willow glared again, and Maggie nodded to the man behind the chair. Suddenly Willow knew what the electric feeling in the room was, as it shot into her spine and she tensed in the chair, gritting her teeth together. _Electric chair!_ Maggie gripped Willow’s jaw with so much force Willow thought it may shatter.

“Are you familiar with the Milgram experiment. Of course you are, you were my student.” Maggie pushed Willow’s head away, and stood tall in front of Willow. “With every wrong answer, the current increases until the teacher no longer wants to shock the learner. Well, Hostile, this teacher, will never want to stop. So tip the containers, Hostile!”

“Never.” Willow didn’t know where she got all this courage from. Maybe she drew it from somewhere really deep down, maybe she just unlocked the door, but there it was, and she knew it was going to be the death of her. But if she could just stall for long enough—

Willow’s thoughts ended there as the next shock raced through her spine and into her limbs, yet she still refrained from calling out.

_I won’t give her what she wants._


	5. Cameras

“The Milgram Obedience Experiment.” Dr Maggie Walsh clicked the button for the next slide on her presentation. “Milgram selected male American citizens from the street and conducted an experiment to test the public.” Buffy yawned in her seat, glancing at the empty seat next to her. They’d been up for practically 2 days trying to find Riley and more about The Initiative. He’d not surfaced and they could find nothing out about the military program. Spike lead them to where he found himself back above ground, but after an extensive search they couldn’t find any evidence to say that there was an entrance.

“For every incorrect answer given, the Teacher would shock the Student, raising the voltage each time. Milgram wanted to discover how far Americans would go. As long as the order to continue came from higher up, there was no need to feel guilt and many went up to voltages marked deadly. Even after the Student stopped responding altogether. Now, Milgram’s experiments were faked. No-one knows what would happen should the experiment be carried out with live electricity.”

* * *

Willow wasn’t sure when she blacked out. Somewhere in between 255 and 315 volts, she imagined. All she knew was that she was back in her cell and the only thing she could do to keep her mind off the pain was to think about school. It was a terrible thing to think about really, because she remembered everything she’d learnt about the Milgram Experiment, but she also thought about her dorm and the cafeteria and Wicca Group and Tara and—

 _Well, now_ is _later I suppose._

Willow wasn’t exactly sure why she couldn’t get the blonde Wiccan off her mind. It vaguely felt like the feeling she felt around Oz at the beginning of their friendship, when she hardly knew him at all, and wanted to get to know him better. She wanted to get to know Tara better, like she got to know Oz better.

 _But not like_ that _._ She thought to herself, sitting down on her small cot, wrapping the small, scratchy, army green blanket around her shoulders. _Or, maybe like that._

There was definitely feelings. Friendly feelings. Like when you want to make a friend. A good friend. A girlfriend.

_A friend that’s a girl! Friend. Girl. Friend. Two words, Rosenberg. Get it together. Think about Buffy. Think about Buffy coming to save you._

* * *

“Miss Summers.” Buffy jolted awake from her sleep, slamming the small of her back into the backrest of her chair. Blinking, the face of her teacher swam into view. “I do not tolerate sleeping in my classroom, Miss Summers.” Maggie stood up to walk to the front of the class as Buffy looked around.

 _Oh jeez, class has ended. Please tell me there’s no drool._ Buffy wiped at her mouth as Maggie started to talk again.

“I also do not tolerate absence. Miss Rosenberg is your roommate, correct?” Buffy felt like a small mouse under the gaze of a giant bird of prey when Maggie looked her in the eye.

“Yes, she is.” Buffy gulped. How could she explain this one away?

“Good. Then I would like you to tell Miss Rosenberg that missing another class will mean she is put on watch. Missing another after that will be an automatic fail.” Maggie collected the paperwork from her desk and looked up at Buffy again.

“I will tell her that. Yes Ma’am. I’m on that, right now. Bye!” Buffy darted out of the door.

* * *

“Your friends, Hostile, they don’t seem to care you’re missing.” Maggie looked on from the doorway of the cell, at Willow, who was still sat on the cot with the blanket around her.

“I’m not even sure they know that you’re missing.” She continued, and Willow still refused to look at her, instead focused on the blinking red dot of the security camera watching and recording her every move. The blinks were going off at set intervals, so the camera was probably taking a still every 2 seconds.

_A lot could happen in 2 seconds._

“But come on, you can’t be the only witch in Sunnydale. Not with the Hellmouth under you. The draw of dark magicks must bring more witches.” Maggie entered the room with her two usual guards, moving across to Willow.

“What about that Wicca group?” Maggie smirked when Willow finally looked at her, finally provoking a reaction.

“They’re not real witches.” Willow deadpanned, glaring at the scientist in front of her, smirking at her.

“All of them? What about that blonde?” Maggie studied Willow’s reactions, and noted the slight enlargement of the redhead’s pupils. “What was her name again?” The gulp in the hostile’s throat as she swallowed in panic. “I know it begins with a T. T Maclay.” The tiny bead of sweat on her forehead. “Tara Maclay.” All 3 reactions repeated.

“Ah yes, Tara—”

* * *

“Maclay!” Buffy finished as she dodged between two jocks in the hallway, racing after the other blonde. Ahead of her in the hallway, Tara turned around to face the preppy blonde charging towards her.

“Buffy.” Tara juggled her folders as she waited for Buffy to reach her, blinking at the energy the other blonde was showing. After staying up to help Willow’s friends, she was ready to collapse. Xander and Anya had been, well, different to what she expected. Spike was unexpected, she didn’t think the vampire slayer could work with a vampire, but there was a surprise around every corner. Even Anya was an ex-demon. Xander seemed like the only one who didn’t have some kind of supernatural powers.

“Tara. Giles called and told me Spike could point out members of The Initiative.” Buffy spoke quickly, linking her arm with Tara’s and walking her down the hallway. “And Spike pointed out who’s in charge of the whole thing.”

“B-Buffy why are you l-leading me to p-psychology? We should go to y-your dorm and t-talk. Or to Mister G-Giles’.” Tara stuttered, shocked at being dragged down the hallway, the opposite way to her dorm room.

“Because we need to be here.” Buffy pulled them to a stop outside the door to the lecture hall, where Buffy pointed at Maggie.

“Buffy, j-just tell me.” Tara stressed, looking between the room and Buffy.

“It’s Dr Walsh. She’s in charge of The Initiative.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with this weird 1am writing. I find the muse to write at the weirdest times, and I tend to just write and write and I'm not even sure if it makes sense half the time. Thanks for reading, reviews help me find inspiration to continue quicker! :D
> 
> SWC


	6. Vivisection

“It’s Walsh?!” Tara exclaimed, and Buffy pulled the two of them below the glass window into the lecture hall, just in time as Walsh looked over at the door, certain she heard something.

“I know, my own teacher. My own psychology teacher. My own pysch—Oh it’s beginning to make sense now.” Buffy motioned for Tara to walk with her, away from the classroom. “Giles says we can’t just bust in and confront her, not without evidence or blackmail. Xander and Anya are at Giles’, if you’re don with class, I was going to head over there.”

“I-I’m done with classes.” Tara nodded, following Buffy, still holding her books.

“Great! We figured you’d want to be there, since you are Willow are such good friends. And we’re down a witch and could really do with one. If we can find Riley, he’s someone we can confront.”

“Your boyfriend? You think he’d k-kidnap Willow?” Tara raised an eyebrow, looking sideways at Buffy as the headed out of the campus grounds. She didn’t understand why anyone would want to hurt Willow, she never hurt anyone, and she was almost certain she never would.

“All I know is last week no-one could talk, and this week my best friend is gone and my boyfriend, _ex_ -boyfriend, has vanished off the face of the damn Earth.” Buffy kicked at a stone as she walked, sighing. “We’re gunna get her back. Alive. And in one piece.”

* * *

“I will start removing body part, Hostile.” Riley growled at Willow, how was back in an examination room, hands tied to the chair. The electric feel was gone, so she thought that Walsh might be over her Milgram phase. Walsh wasn’t back from lecture yet, so she was instead left with Riley, who was acting more violent towards her than ever.

“And I told you, threatening me won’t make magic work.” Willow spat back, angry at the man. _No, boy_. He came to her room, abducted her, and thought he could boss her around.

“I wouldn’t be threatening you if you just light the wood on fire.” Riley growled, really close to her ear this time. It was the second time he’d done that, and both he and Willow knew she wouldn’t attack him, not after the first time she head butted him and caused herself more pain because of that damn chip. Any thoughts she had that Spike was over dramatic about it went out the window. The one way window.

“You expect me to have the strength to light wood on fire? I was just cut open, you sick asshole!” Willow faked towards him, and he just shoved her back into the chair.

“Well we have to find out what makes you tick.” Riley pointed to the wood. “Walsh wants that on fire by the time she gets back, Hostile, so you better make it happen. Now.”

* * *

“I’m afraid we have a slight apocalypse.” Giles is cleaning his glasses when Buffy and Tara arrive, looking anywhere but Buffy. Nothing could really prepare him for having to tell his Slayer she’s have to pause looking for her friend, to stop some cultist demons from completing a Sacrifice of 3.

“A female student at Sunnydale University woke up to find a dead male student on her bed with her.” Giles steps back, allowing the two blondes in. Xander waves to Tara when she sees her enter, and Anya glares at her, but only for a second this time, before distracting Xander by handing him a biscuit.

“Giles, I don’t care about this. The Initiative guys are probably on it. Which would mean it’s the best time for us to strike and get Willow back.” Buffy walked with the other two into the main area of Giles’ house, grabbing her own biscuit from Anya’s plate.

“I agree. And I’m still up for plan Kick-Riley’s-farmer-boy-ass-back-to-Iowa, by the way.” Xander piped up from behind Buffy, swallowing the last of his biscuit. “We need Willow back. It’s getting towards May and I feel a bog apocalypse coming on. Like every May.”

“It’s January.” Giles glared. “I still don’t like that we’re basing the next apocalypse being stopped on the hopes that the military will visit your burnt down high school.”

“I still don’t like the fact we haven’t found Riley.” Buffy crossed her arms, surveying everyone in the room. “Find Riley, find our way in to the Initiative, find Willow, and put a stop to the Initiative.”

“Well I got part of that down.” Spike drawled from the doorway, holding Riley by his collar. “Bloody difficult to grab the guy, convinced the chip I didn’t want to hurt him, dragged him back here.”

“Let go of me, Hostile 17!” Riley swung for a punch but Spike ducked, laughing at his efforts. Riley didn’t even notice Buffy advancing on him until she was grabbing his collar and ripping him away from Spike, slamming his back into the wall.

“Where the fuck is my best friend?!”

* * *

“Your records are quite fascinating, Hostile.” Walsh smiled at Willow, although her smile was anything but comforting. “Your parents, never around were they? Of course they weren’t. Probably not your real parents, you’re not human.” Willow had learnt by now it was best to just stay quiet and ignore her until she goes away. “Although your vivisection reports show that you are indistinguishable from a human.”

Willow flicked her gaze back to the security camera, glaring at it as a way to calm herself and not lash out.

“Bet you ran away a lot as a child. Acted out. Tried to be the best you could be. Studied, learnt, became the best. But nothing got their attention. Bet they wouldn’t notice for months if you cut your hair.”

“Shut up.” Willow growled quietly, angry at herself for retaliating.

“Of Hostile, you haven’t learnt. You can’t tell me what to do. I tell you. And I’m telling you you have one day to write that resurrection spell or you’ll be the person that needs resurrecting!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not dead, I’m still here, just having trouble writing. If you have any ideas for direct, review or PM me and I’ll try and include it.
> 
> SWC

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if this works or if it doesn't. If it doesn't, I'm sorry. I tried, this is one of my favourite types of fic that I wish there was more of. Anyway, thanks for reading.
> 
> SWC


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